During dinner tonight I was discussing Santa Claus with the girls. Sarah has been gamely playing along and is doing a good job of convincing Grace that she once saw Santa Claus when she was seven-years-old and came down in the night to get a drink of water. (I'd blame How the Grinch Stole Christmas here, but I don't think Sarah's memory for that particular holiday tale is that good.)
Grace and I were trying to get more details out of Sarah on what Santa looked like, how much he weighed, etc. We were also discussing how many cookies he eats each year. I suggested that perhaps Santa doesn't eat each cookie he is presented with, but instead eats some and stores the rest in the bundle he has flung on his back. As the presents are removed, cookies fill the space. In this way, he can store up food for the lean Spring, Summer, and Autumn months . . . as I noted that it's not likely that Santa has a grocery store nearby at the North Pole.
Grace seemed to accept that, with a wink. (She's well used to my tall tales by now.)
But I probably went off the deep end a few minutes later when I made Sarah realize that she must have encountered Santa during his annual pre-Christmas visit to our house. (Because we have always been elsewhere on the actual Christmas Eve, her tale of coming downstairs for a glass of water could only take place PRIOR to our annual trip south.)
And this made some sense, as I speculated that during these pre-Christmas trips, Santa's guard is lessened and he is more likely to be caught unawares. I then began to wonder how Santa was able to get his last-minute preparations for the global trip taken care of when he is constantly faced with the special requests from families like ours who insist on having multiple Christmases on different days.
Perhaps, I wondered, Santa has a contingency plan set up for families such as ours in which he beams the presents to the house from a remote location on whatever date is requested. And we don't notice them because they are hidden with a cloaking device of some sort that is automatically deactivated at the scheduled time?
The kids greeted this idea with the necessary skepticism, and wondered why they never stepped on them, invisible or not?
Well, then, I conjectured, maybe Santa places the gifts not in a cloaking field, but in a parallel dimension that mysteriously merges with ours when the family being serviced is all fast asleep?
Plausible?
(Such are the things we discuss when taking our mind off of leftovers.)
I welcome your comments, elaborations, and embellishments.
Over twenty-one (!?!) years of obviousness and nonsense.
Monday, December 06, 2010
Saturday, December 04, 2010
The Long Awaited (1st) Post About Our Trip to Disney World
It's perhaps hard to believe that our family trip to Disney World occurred almost two months ago now. And it's more than likely that everyone who needs to hear about the details have already heard them. But, I'm going to try and capture some of the trip here anyway.
(And while were at it, does anyone out there want to troll back through my posts and see how many of them I start with an apologetic tone? I've gotta work on that.)
ANYWAY . . .
We were down in Georgia for my brother's wedding. It was because we were already (more than!) halfway to Orlando that we decided to tack the Disney World trip at the end of the established wedding trip.
And can I pause here to note my utter astonishment when I mapped the route from my home town to Orlando, FL and discovered that it was less than five hours south?! I immediately felt cheated! How could I have lived SO CLOSE to the Happiest Place on Earth my entire childhood . . . only to visit it once with my family? Clearly they didn't love us . . .
But, to be fair, I did get to go two other times--once with a friend when EPCOT was new (and still enticing, but more on that later) and a second time for Grad Night 1990. YEAH! Grad Night! I'll have to search back through my scrapbooks and find the picture taken of me at Grad Night '90. But more on that later.
So, after the wedding festivities, we packed ourselves back into the van and drove south for the (SHORT!!) trip to the Magic Kingdom.
We arrived in Orlando in the mid afternoon and drove into the park's vortex soon enough. But before we were sucked completely below the Event Horizon, we stopped at a grocery store and picked up some kitchen supplies and breakfast foods for our cabin kitchen. We were planning to stay at the Fort Wilderness campgrounds, eating our first dinner there that night and then each morning making our own breakfasts before heading off to the park for the day. Once we got into the campgrounds and registered for our cabin, we spent the rest of the day settling down in our rooms, unpacking, and preparing our dinner of spaghetti.
That night, our first planned Disney thing was to gather with other Ft. Wilderness residents for the Campfire Jamboree with Chip 'n' Dale. So, Lynda gave Hannah a bath and put her in her pajamas--figuring that she'd get tired and fall asleep before we got back to the cabin. (This was the first misinterpretation of what Hannah would do during this trip.) Then, rather than catch one of the buses that drove through the campground, we chose to walk--which we never chose to do again during the next several days we stayed there. It was a bit of a long walk from our cabin, situated near the the entrance to the campgrounds, to the central area where the Jamboree was to be help. But we didn't know that yet.
So we gathered together the chocolate bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows that we'd bought earlier today at the grocery store and set off into the dark night. Using a flashlight and a map of the grounds, we eventually found the area where the two campfires were already burning and smores were already being made. I bought 50 cent dowels to stick the marshmallows on and we got to having some fun. After jocking for position amongst all of the families, I put together enough for everyone to have one (or two) of the smores (if they liked). After that we found a spot in the crowd and were led in some sing-alongs with Cowboy Bob and Chip and Dale themselves. Everyone was having a good time and Hannah danced along to the songs in her PJs. After the singing was over, Chip and Dale circulated through the crowd, "saying" hello to each family in turn and signing autograph books.
Collecting autographs was a new development since I was first visiting Disney World years ago. Apparently it's the thing to do to get a small notebook and whenever you get the chance to see a character in costume, get your picture taken, and get an autograph. I'm not sure how the "characters" can see well enough to sign, but they are surprisingly good at it. For each day we were out and about, we were always on the look out for signing opportunities. We did quite well, actually.
After the visits from the chipmunks, the last event of the evening was an outdoor theater viewing of a Disney movie. That night it was Monsters Inc. We stuck around for the first thirty or forty-five minutes of it and then decided to walk back to the cabin to bed down for the night.
The next day . . . our first day in the Magic Kingdom . . . was going to start early. So, we needed our rest.
(And while were at it, does anyone out there want to troll back through my posts and see how many of them I start with an apologetic tone? I've gotta work on that.)
ANYWAY . . .
We were down in Georgia for my brother's wedding. It was because we were already (more than!) halfway to Orlando that we decided to tack the Disney World trip at the end of the established wedding trip.
And can I pause here to note my utter astonishment when I mapped the route from my home town to Orlando, FL and discovered that it was less than five hours south?! I immediately felt cheated! How could I have lived SO CLOSE to the Happiest Place on Earth my entire childhood . . . only to visit it once with my family? Clearly they didn't love us . . .
But, to be fair, I did get to go two other times--once with a friend when EPCOT was new (and still enticing, but more on that later) and a second time for Grad Night 1990. YEAH! Grad Night! I'll have to search back through my scrapbooks and find the picture taken of me at Grad Night '90. But more on that later.
So, after the wedding festivities, we packed ourselves back into the van and drove south for the (SHORT!!) trip to the Magic Kingdom.
We arrived in Orlando in the mid afternoon and drove into the park's vortex soon enough. But before we were sucked completely below the Event Horizon, we stopped at a grocery store and picked up some kitchen supplies and breakfast foods for our cabin kitchen. We were planning to stay at the Fort Wilderness campgrounds, eating our first dinner there that night and then each morning making our own breakfasts before heading off to the park for the day. Once we got into the campgrounds and registered for our cabin, we spent the rest of the day settling down in our rooms, unpacking, and preparing our dinner of spaghetti.
That night, our first planned Disney thing was to gather with other Ft. Wilderness residents for the Campfire Jamboree with Chip 'n' Dale. So, Lynda gave Hannah a bath and put her in her pajamas--figuring that she'd get tired and fall asleep before we got back to the cabin. (This was the first misinterpretation of what Hannah would do during this trip.) Then, rather than catch one of the buses that drove through the campground, we chose to walk--which we never chose to do again during the next several days we stayed there. It was a bit of a long walk from our cabin, situated near the the entrance to the campgrounds, to the central area where the Jamboree was to be help. But we didn't know that yet.
So we gathered together the chocolate bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows that we'd bought earlier today at the grocery store and set off into the dark night. Using a flashlight and a map of the grounds, we eventually found the area where the two campfires were already burning and smores were already being made. I bought 50 cent dowels to stick the marshmallows on and we got to having some fun. After jocking for position amongst all of the families, I put together enough for everyone to have one (or two) of the smores (if they liked). After that we found a spot in the crowd and were led in some sing-alongs with Cowboy Bob and Chip and Dale themselves. Everyone was having a good time and Hannah danced along to the songs in her PJs. After the singing was over, Chip and Dale circulated through the crowd, "saying" hello to each family in turn and signing autograph books.
Collecting autographs was a new development since I was first visiting Disney World years ago. Apparently it's the thing to do to get a small notebook and whenever you get the chance to see a character in costume, get your picture taken, and get an autograph. I'm not sure how the "characters" can see well enough to sign, but they are surprisingly good at it. For each day we were out and about, we were always on the look out for signing opportunities. We did quite well, actually.
After the visits from the chipmunks, the last event of the evening was an outdoor theater viewing of a Disney movie. That night it was Monsters Inc. We stuck around for the first thirty or forty-five minutes of it and then decided to walk back to the cabin to bed down for the night.
The next day . . . our first day in the Magic Kingdom . . . was going to start early. So, we needed our rest.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
What are the last 5 albums you've listened to twice in the last 2 months?
(I tried to answer this question earlier today, but it doesn't seem to have gone through. Yet, if it somehow DOES end up as a duplicate, then . . . have fun comparing how well my memory does over the span of approximately two-and-a-half hours.)
It has been a while since I sat and listened to an entire album because:
1.) the advent of the iPod's randomizing feature has made me impatient for new things,
2.) I spend most of my time listening to podcasts rather than music during my listening hours, and
3.) my kids don't usually let me pick what I want to listen to.
But, given those parameters, here are some albums that I HAVE listened to on a regular, reliable basis recently.
a.) Taylor Swift "Fearless"
As I noted above, my kids push me in certain musical directions. Luckily, this is an album that we can compromise happily on. I enjoy Ms. Swift's lyrics and her musicality isn't bad either. We can all settle on this in the car without much in the way of fights or hurt feelings. And that is sometimes a VERY valuable thing.
b.) Bruno Mars "Doo-Wops & Hooligans"
This is the most recently album that I have purchased. Lynda expressed surprise at its slow jam nature and groovy rhythms, wondering if I had purchased this. But I had, and I was glad that the NPR music review didn't lie. It is funky and smooth . . . just like me.
c.) "Jingle Spells 4"
If its late November, that means I'm listening to the newest charity album of holiday tunes with a Harry Potter flair. For the past four years, Wizard Rockers of all types and the creative folks at The Leaky Cauldron Web site have worked together to produce and sell a holiday album of increasingly good music. Over $50,000 have been raised in this effort over that time. To purchase this unique album for yourself, visit here: http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/features/wizardrock/jinglespells4
d.) Weezer "Hurley"
This is the third-most recent album that I have purchased. This album features the kindly mug of Jorge Garcia's "Hugo 'Hurley' Reyes" on the cover and inside are songs inspired by my favorite Mystery Island drama. When I get back to blogging more often, I plan on providing my own individual interpretations of each song. But that might be a while.
e.) an assortment of Sesame Street albums
When you've got a less-than-three-year-old, you sometimes have to go with the flow . . . whether you want to or not.
Well, that is. There's my answer.
Thanks for asking.
It has been a while since I sat and listened to an entire album because:
1.) the advent of the iPod's randomizing feature has made me impatient for new things,
2.) I spend most of my time listening to podcasts rather than music during my listening hours, and
3.) my kids don't usually let me pick what I want to listen to.
But, given those parameters, here are some albums that I HAVE listened to on a regular, reliable basis recently.
a.) Taylor Swift "Fearless"
As I noted above, my kids push me in certain musical directions. Luckily, this is an album that we can compromise happily on. I enjoy Ms. Swift's lyrics and her musicality isn't bad either. We can all settle on this in the car without much in the way of fights or hurt feelings. And that is sometimes a VERY valuable thing.
b.) Bruno Mars "Doo-Wops & Hooligans"
This is the most recently album that I have purchased. Lynda expressed surprise at its slow jam nature and groovy rhythms, wondering if I had purchased this. But I had, and I was glad that the NPR music review didn't lie. It is funky and smooth . . . just like me.
c.) "Jingle Spells 4"
If its late November, that means I'm listening to the newest charity album of holiday tunes with a Harry Potter flair. For the past four years, Wizard Rockers of all types and the creative folks at The Leaky Cauldron Web site have worked together to produce and sell a holiday album of increasingly good music. Over $50,000 have been raised in this effort over that time. To purchase this unique album for yourself, visit here: http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/features/wizardrock/jinglespells4
d.) Weezer "Hurley"
This is the third-most recent album that I have purchased. This album features the kindly mug of Jorge Garcia's "Hugo 'Hurley' Reyes" on the cover and inside are songs inspired by my favorite Mystery Island drama. When I get back to blogging more often, I plan on providing my own individual interpretations of each song. But that might be a while.
e.) an assortment of Sesame Street albums
When you've got a less-than-three-year-old, you sometimes have to go with the flow . . . whether you want to or not.
Well, that is. There's my answer.
Thanks for asking.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Saturday afternoon fun
Saturday was such a nice day. It was a gift for being this late into November . . . and I managed to get out and enjoy it for even a brief time before dinner. Grace was disappointed that she wasn't able to get a friend to come over and play and Hannah was getting a bit fussy and needed some distraction.
So, the three of us loaded up on our bikes and hit the streets. After I spent a few minutes pumping up the tires that had gotten flat from some disuse and then hitched up the trailer for Hannah . . . we pedaled off down the street. I let Grace pick the path.
We went down Nicole, then turned right and paralleled Spring Road. Then we hung a right and zipped down the bike path only to make another right and enter into Spring Grove North (the newer subdivision that abuts right up against my older, original neighborhood). We wound our way up and down the sidewalks of these streets, going in and out of cul-de-sacs. Hannah got a few slight bumps here and there as I pulled the trailer on and off of the sidewalk transition ramps and swung around the ends of cars parked near the ends of driveways. But I kept it slow and enjoyed the moderate weather and coming twilight.
Soon Grace realized that we weren't going to be able to hook up to the bike paths from within this block, so we doubled back to parallel Spring Road up the the corner of Country Line. We crossed over and then rode along the north side of County Line, heading past Westerville North High School and toward Sunbury Road. After a bit, Grace took a left and we entered the pedestrian walkways surrounding the High School. We road along and then back behind the school, exploring the sides of the building, the bleachers of the baseball stadium (where I really had a narrow corner to negotiate).
I found a hidden pedestrian walkway that connected the baseball ticket booths to the backside of the school, crossing over an irrigation ditch. But while Hannah and I were game to give it a try, Grace had already decided to turn around and start heading home. She was right, as the sun was sinking and the light was starting to fade.
So, we retraced our path, back to the corner of County Line and Spring, then down and back to Nicole.
When we got home, dinner was just about ready, the sky was dark through the windows, and we were happy to have been outside stretching our muscles.
So, the three of us loaded up on our bikes and hit the streets. After I spent a few minutes pumping up the tires that had gotten flat from some disuse and then hitched up the trailer for Hannah . . . we pedaled off down the street. I let Grace pick the path.
We went down Nicole, then turned right and paralleled Spring Road. Then we hung a right and zipped down the bike path only to make another right and enter into Spring Grove North (the newer subdivision that abuts right up against my older, original neighborhood). We wound our way up and down the sidewalks of these streets, going in and out of cul-de-sacs. Hannah got a few slight bumps here and there as I pulled the trailer on and off of the sidewalk transition ramps and swung around the ends of cars parked near the ends of driveways. But I kept it slow and enjoyed the moderate weather and coming twilight.
Soon Grace realized that we weren't going to be able to hook up to the bike paths from within this block, so we doubled back to parallel Spring Road up the the corner of Country Line. We crossed over and then rode along the north side of County Line, heading past Westerville North High School and toward Sunbury Road. After a bit, Grace took a left and we entered the pedestrian walkways surrounding the High School. We road along and then back behind the school, exploring the sides of the building, the bleachers of the baseball stadium (where I really had a narrow corner to negotiate).
I found a hidden pedestrian walkway that connected the baseball ticket booths to the backside of the school, crossing over an irrigation ditch. But while Hannah and I were game to give it a try, Grace had already decided to turn around and start heading home. She was right, as the sun was sinking and the light was starting to fade.
So, we retraced our path, back to the corner of County Line and Spring, then down and back to Nicole.
When we got home, dinner was just about ready, the sky was dark through the windows, and we were happy to have been outside stretching our muscles.
Friday, November 05, 2010
Waiting . . . waiting . . .
If you have been sitting around, constantly reloading WWYG?! in hopes of getting by blow-by-blow of our recent trip down to South Georgia and Orlando . . . well . . . I apologize for putting you through that.
We have been back home from our trip for a week now and I am firmly enmeshed in the demands of work and the everyday world that was put on hold during our trip. And I absolutely plan to work on a breakdown of the trip--with photos--over this coming weekend.
But you'll just have to wait until then.
I suggest that you follow me on Twitter (really, you should!) or keep watch over on my Facebook feed to find out when I get around to writing again here on the old blog.
I feel that I've really been neglecting WWYG?! and it all comes down to work pressures. But that will end at some point and I'll hopefully find new and interesting ways to waste my time here again.
Thanks as always for your patronage.
(Twitter feed here.)
We have been back home from our trip for a week now and I am firmly enmeshed in the demands of work and the everyday world that was put on hold during our trip. And I absolutely plan to work on a breakdown of the trip--with photos--over this coming weekend.
But you'll just have to wait until then.
I suggest that you follow me on Twitter (really, you should!) or keep watch over on my Facebook feed to find out when I get around to writing again here on the old blog.
I feel that I've really been neglecting WWYG?! and it all comes down to work pressures. But that will end at some point and I'll hopefully find new and interesting ways to waste my time here again.
Thanks as always for your patronage.
(Twitter feed here.)
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